They called it Bichonne because it might have been a bitch.
Do you remember the time when all those wolves came to the forest of Lions? That was the year when it snowed a lot, when poor people had such a struggle just to stay alive. The region was totally desolate.
Brisquet, who always went to work, and who did not fear the wolves owing to his sharp axe, said one morning to Brisquette: "Woman, do not let either Biscotin or Biscotine go out until the Wolffinder General has been. It's too dangerous for them out there. It's enough if they can walk from the mound to the pond now that I've put up a fence around the pond to stop them falling in. I'd also like to ask you, Brisquette, not to let the dog out. All she wants to do is go for walks."
Brisquet said the same thing to Brisquette every morning. One evening he did not arrive home at his usual time. Brisquette came to the threshold, went back in, came back out and said as she clasped her hands together: "My God, how late he is!"
And then she went out again shouting: "Eh! Brisquet!"
And Bichonne jumped up at her to shoulder height as if to say:
"Shall I go?"
"Down!" said Brisquette. "Listen, Biscotine, go up to the mound to see if your father is on his way home. And you, Biscotin, follow the path along the pond and take good care if part of the fence is missing. And shout out loud: Brisquet! Brisquet! Get down, Bichonne!"
The children went their separate ways and when they had met up at the place where the road to the pond crosses that to the mound they spoke:
"Damn it," said Biscotin, "I'll find our poor father or the wolves can make a meal of me."
"Damn me too," said Biscotine. "They can eat me too while they're at it."